Who does this apply to?

All non-essential travellers arriving in Tasmania will be required to enter quarantine for 14 days.

Eligible Tasmanian residents must complete their 14 days of quarantine at their residence in Tasmania provided that they:

are able to provide evidence of residency;

are not symptomatic of COVID-19; and

have not been overseas within 14 days of travelling to Tasmania, or who have disembarked from a cruise ship within 14 days of travelling to Tasmania.

In these instances, arrivals must quarantine in a government managed accommodation facility for 14-days. Non-residents arriving in Tasmania must also complete a quarantine period at government provided accommodation.

This Tasmanian quarantine requirement is in addition to the Australian Government requirement for all returning international travellers or people who have disembarked from a cruise ship in the last 14 days to enter quarantine at their point of arrival into Australia.

confirm you are a Tasmanian resident with eligible proof of residency;

identify your place of residence in Tasmania where you will complete your 14 days of quarantine;

verify whether or not you have a fever, cough, sore throat, muscular pains, shortness of breath or unexpected tiredness; and

verify whether or not you have been overseas or have disembarked from a cruise ship in the last 14 days before arriving in Tasmania.

Biosecurity Tasmania staff will review your Arrival Form and proof of residency at the airport or port.

One of the following documents (either hardcopy or digital format) will be acceptable as proof of residency:

Tasmanian driver licence; or

Another Tasmanian issued licence or identification type that includes a residential address; or

Australian Tax Office Assessment (2018/19); or

Tasmanian vehicle registration papers; or

Evidence of ONE of the following that must include the address of your Tasmanian residence and your full name, and is no more than six months old:

Financial Institution Statement

Utility Account (Power, Water, Telephone, Gas)

Council rates notice

Lease or Rental Agreement

Land Tax Valuation Notice

Certificate of Title

If you cannot provide proof of your Tasmanian residency you will be required to undertake your 14 days of quarantine at Government provided accommodation for the duration of the quarantine period, or until you are able to produce relevant evidence.

Once Biosecurity Tasmania has approved your documentation, you must transit directly from your port of arrival to your Tasmanian residence. You must also comply with any directions given to you by an authorised officer. This may include the requirement to wear a facemask during transit.

Quarantining at your residence

While completing your 14 day quarantine period at your residence, you must remain within your property boundaries at all time, unless you require medical attention, intend to leave Tasmania, or are in an emergency situation.

You must isolate yourself from all others, except from those who you live with. You must not have visitors who are not household members during your 14-days of quarantine.

You cannot leave your property to exercise or shop or for other non-emergency reasons, even if you are planning to be on your own at this time.

You may leave your residence if you require medical assistance or in an emergency situation. If obtaining medical assistance outside the home, you should phone ahead and make sure they are aware that you are currently in quarantine.

If you leave your residence to access medical assistance, you must transit directly between your residence and the medical facility. Once the emergency has passed, you must return directly to your residence if safe to do so.

Other residents in the home

If you live with others, they are not required to isolate with you. They are able to continue to undertake normal activities as required.

However, if you feel unwell or begin to present symptoms of COVID-19, close contacts are encouraged to self-isolate. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, close contacts are required to isolate for 14-days.

All residents should monitor their health carefully while the quarantine period is being undertaken and arrange testing if any household member develops cold or flu symptoms. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, your household must comply with the Direction to Quarantine.

What if there are vulnerable people at my home address?

All Tasmanian residents must quarantine in their own home. If vulnerable people also live at that address, they should try and physical distance from you as much as possible while you are undertaking quarantine.

All residents should monitor their health carefully while the quarantine period is being undertaken and arrange testing if any household member develops cold or flu symptoms.

Accessing supplies and services while in quarantine at home

You must not leave your house while in quarantine unless to receive medical care, in an emergency, or to leave Tasmania. You must not leave your house to access general supplies.

Non-quarantining household members should undertake shopping and other services required during this period for you. If you do not live with others who can assist, you can use online shopping and other services, or ask a friend. You should contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 if you are experiencing any trouble accessing supplies.

Home delivery services can be used but you should avoid contact with any delivery people. Ask a delivery person to leave the items at your front door, if possible.

Monitoring your health

All people completing a period of quarantine must carefully monitor their health at all times while in quarantine. This is a requirement.

If you develop any cold or flu symptoms you should immediately contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or your GP to arrange testing. You should notify them that you have recently returned from interstate and are in quarantine. Follow any directions that you are provided with when you are tested in relation to yourself and other household members.

If you need to access other medical care that is not directly related to coronavirus symptoms, contact your GP as some GPs offer Telehealth consultations. Alternatively contact HealthDirect on 1800 022 222. Please tell your HealthDirect operator that you are currently in quarantine.

If you need emergency care you should immediately dial Triple Zero (000) and advise of your condition as well as the fact you are in quarantine.

Finishing your 14 days quarantine at home

The Public Health Service will phone you around day 12 of your quarantine to check how you are. They will also offer you the option to be tested if you would like to.

If you are well with no symptoms at the completion of your 14 day quarantine period, you will be able to resume normal activities. You do not require clearance from health authorities. However you should continue to monitor your health and arrange testing if you develop any cold or flu symptoms, even if mild.

Residents of King Island, Flinders Island and the Furneaux Group of Islands

The travel restrictions between mainland Tasmania and King Island, Flinders Island and the Furneaux Group of Islands have been lifted, meaning that:

residents of King Island, Flinders Island and the Furneaux Group of Islands may travel between these islands and mainland Tasmania without being required to isolate on return to their home;

residents of mainland Tasmania may travel to the islands – this is no longer prohibited; and

However, there continues to be a quarantine requirement for any person who arrives in Tasmania from a location outside Tasmania. For residents of Tasmania, which includes residents of King Island, Flinders Island and the Furneaux Group of Islands, this quarantine period must occur in their residence on the islands, provided that the arrival:

is able to provide proof of Tasmanian residency;

is not symptomatic of COVID-19; and

has not been overseas within 14 days of travelling to Tasmania, and has not disembarked from a cruise ship within 14 days of travelling to Tasmania.

People who do not comply with the above, or who are not residents, will be required to quarantine in a government facility at their point of arrival in Tasmania unless granted essential traveller status.

Fly-in, Fly-out workers

If you are a Tasmanian resident returning to Tasmania for a period of leave from work interstate, you must quarantine at your residence as per the above conditions for “Tasmanian residents”.

If you are required to leave Tasmania to return to work before the end of your 14 day quarantine period, you may do so, but must:

Transit directly from your primary residence to the port of departure.

If you do not have an exemption, you must not leave your quarantine location.

Enforcement

Tasmania Police are responsible for ensuring compliance with the Arrivals and Quarantine directions. While you quarantine at home, Tasmania Police or another authorised officer may conduct compliance checks to ensure you are at your property.

Non-Tasmanian residents must complete a 14 day period of quarantine at a Tasmanian government accommodation facility. If you are not a Tasmanian resident, you cannot leave your port of entry and go to previously arranged accommodation.

All people entering Tasmania must report directly to Biosecurity Tasmania staff at their port of entry.

Arrangements will be made for your transport to the government provided accommodation.

You will be provided with additional information about arrangements for your quarantine, including, food and other assistance, upon your arrival in Tasmania.

What does mandatory quarantine mean?

While in mandatory quarantine you must stay within the room provided to you.

Further advice will be available in your room on how to access services including medical treatment if required.

Provisions will be made to ensure that your basic needs are met while you are in a government provided accommodation facility. You will be provided with more detailed information about this on your arrival in Tasmania.

During this time you will not be able to have visitors and must not leave the room. If you have needs which are not being met through the information provided to you in your room, then please contact the hotel reception and your request will be facilitated through there.

You will be able to communicate with your family and friends via phone and social media while in quarantine.

Penalties will apply for breaches of the quarantine requirement.

If you are experiencing life threatening medical symptoms please call Triple Zero (000) and advise them of your condition and that you are currently in quarantine.

Information for people entering mandatory quarantine in government provided accommodation in Tasmania

Car at airport

If possible, contact a family friend or relative to collect your vehicle. If this is not possible please liaise with the hotel reception who will work with authorities to facilitate appropriate arrangements. You will be responsible for the cost of parking incurred before your return to Tasmania.

Car at TT-Line

Vehicles will be secured in a facility at the wharf in Devonport. Travellers will be taken to the quarantine facility (either locally or in Launceston) by bus. Arrangements will be made to return people to their vehicles at the end of the 14 day quarantine period.

Costs

The State Government will cover the basic expenses related to your accommodation, including meals and a limited laundry service while in quarantine.

Children

All families returning home from international or cruise ship travel will be required to quarantine in government provided accommodation.

Unaccompanied minors who have travelled internationally or have been on a cruise ship in the last 14 days will be required to quarantine in government provided accommodation. A family member or guardian can quarantine with the minor for the 14 days to provide care during this time.

Food

Meals will be provided to your room free of charge.

Some accommodation with self-equipped kitchens will allow for us to provide you with food hampers so that you can manage your own food requirements. Food hampers are also provided free of charge.

Consideration will be given to food requirements based on specific dietary needs, cultural restrictions and personal preference.

You are welcome to use delivery take away services such as Uber Eats or other take away delivery at your own cost so long as it is “no-contact delivery”. This means your driver can drop your food off without seeing you for example, at your hotel door or at your hotel reception. You must advise your hotel reception if you are expecting a delivery.

Illness

If you need to access other medical care that is not directly related to coronavirus symptoms, please contact HealthDirect on 1800 022 222. Please tell your HealthDirect operator that you are currently in quarantine in government provided accommodation. If you are advised through HealthDirect that you need emergency care you should immediately dial Triple Zero (000) and advise of your condition as well as the fact you are in quarantine.

If your need for medical care is non-urgent but still requires GP access within the 14 days that you are in quarantine, please contact the hotel reception who will liaise with the appropriate authorities to make necessary arrangements. If you require specific medication, please speak to the hotel reception who will liaise with the appropriate authorities to make necessary arrangements.

If you experience life threatening symptoms you should immediately dial Triple Zero (000) and advise of your condition as well as the fact you are in quarantine.

Laundry

Your accommodation provider will provide one laundry service free of charge during your 14-day quarantine. You may choose to purchase additional laundry services, however this will be at your own cost.

You may ask family or friends to drop clean clothes at reception for you. Please advise reception if you are expecting a delivery.

If your hotel has in-room laundry facilities you may use these. Speak to your hotel reception to access detergent.

Fresh linen will be provided by the accommodation provider, but left at your door. You will be required to change your linen in your room.

Pets

If you have a pet travelling with you, they will be sent to a local boarding kennel and you will need to make arrangements through a family friend or relative to collect them. You will be kept informed as to where they are sent. If you are unable to arrange for them to be collected, speak to hotel reception who will liaise with authorities to make necessary arrangements.

Visitors

You will not be able to have visitors and must not leave the room.

Can I apply for an exemption from quarantine?

Exemptions based on compassionate or medical grounds are considered on individual merit by the State Controller.

If you are currently in the process of moving to Tasmania from interstate, you will be required to enter 14 days of quarantine on your arrival in Tasmania.

If you have evidence of Tasmanian residency (see above) you will be able to quarantine at your residence. However, as per the quarantine conditions, you will not be able to leave your residence for 14 days and must isolate from all others who you do not live with. You will need to consider whether your new home is suitable for you to live in (ie does it have all the items you will need to be safe and comfortable?).

If your new residence is not currently ready for you to live there, you will need to complete your 14 days quarantine at government provided accommodation.

If you are yet to organise your ongoing living arrangements, you will need to seek other accommodation once you’ve finished your 14 days of quarantine in government provided accommodation. There is an exemption that allows people to stay in commercial accommodation if they need to temporarily live there if their residence is not available.

Once you have secured a new residence in Tasmania you will need to comply with relevant Tasmanian public health directions.

All non-essential travellers who arrive in Tasmania will be required to quarantine for 14 days. For non-Tasmanian residents, arrivals will be required to quarantine at a government managed accommodation facility. For Tasmanian residents, they must quarantine at their Tasmanian residence.

Please note that Tasmanian residents are required to transit directly to their residence upon arrival in Tasmania.

Essential Travellers that meet strict criteria will be exempt from the 14 day quarantine requirement but must still comply with listed quarantine conditions directed by the Director of Public Health under section 16 Public Health Act 1997.

Non-Tasmanian travellers, who are not Essential Travellers, will need to have their exemption approved by the State Controller prior to making any booking. Applications can be made on the DPIPWE website.

If you are not a Tasmanian resident or an Essential Traveller you should not make a new booking from Victoria to Tasmania at this stage.

The Spirit of Tasmania is in the process of reviewing all bookings and cancellations may occur.

Cancelled bookings are being refunded, including the fare cancellation fee, regardless of fare type.

Every person arriving in Tasmania from a location outside of Tasmania, including Tasmanian residents, will be required to complete a Tasmanian Arrivals Form.

If you are arriving to Tasmania by boat from a location outside Tasmania, or have taken on crew from interstate or overseas in the past 14 days, you will be required to quarantine for 14 days on your arrival to Tasmania. If you are a Tasmanian resident, you must quarantine at your residence in line with the conditions for a Tasmanian resident. If you are not a Tasmanian resident, you will be required to quarantine at a government managed accommodation facility for 14-days.

Commercial fishers and recreational boaters do not need to quarantine if they have not been interstate or overseas, and have not taken on crew from interstate or overseas in the past 14 days. You may be asked to verify this on arrival to Tasmania.

If you have taken on crew or have set foot interstate or overseas, you must contact Biosecurity Tasmania (03 6165 3777 or 1300 368 550) who will assist you with the necessary quarantine arrangements.

Tasmania has some of the world's most stringent biosecurity requirements to protect the State from introduced pests, weeds and diseases.

Please ensure you are not carrying or importing any restricted items into Tasmania – including fruit and vegetables, seafood, some animal products, plant material, soil and seeds. If you are carrying these items you will need to dispose of them in the quarantine bins provided or declare them to the Biosecurity Officers on arrival.

Tasmania Police will ensure compliance with quarantine requirements and will also assist Biosecurity Staff with compliance at airports and at the Spirit of Tasmania terminal.

If you have information or concerns regarding non-compliance with quarantine requirements, you can fill out this form.

Being in quarantine can affect people in different ways. You can seek help if you are worried.

See Coping with quarantine for information about what to expect, how to look after yourself and others, and where to go for help.

What if I choose not to travel to Tasmania as a result of the 14 day quarantine period?

If you decide to cancel your travel plans, you may not be automatically entitled to a refund. Where the option of undertaking your travel exists, any cancellation may be seen as a change of mind.

Businesses do not have an obligation to refund for change of mind unless this is provided for in the terms of conditions of the purchases. Check the terms and conditions of your booking and discuss the matter directly with your travel company.

Does my travel insurance cover me if I cancel?

All travel insurance products are issued with a Product Disclosure Statement regarding the scope of coverage and any exclusions. Some policies exclude coverage for epidemics and pandemics.

Read your travel insurance policy’s Product Disclosure Statement and speak directly with your insurance provider to find out more about any coverage.

I’m travelling to Tasmania with a caravan / motorhome, can I quarantine in that?

Travelling to Tasmania is discouraged at this time for non-residents.

Non-Tasmanian residents must complete a period of quarantine at a government managed facility. See Coming to Tasmania for more information.

Tasmanian residents must quarantine in their residence. To be eligible, Tasmanians must prove their residency by presenting documentation that includes their residential address. See Coming to Tasmania for more information.

If your residence is a caravan or motorhome, you may only quarantine in that vehicle provided you are able to comply with the quarantine directions, including:

Isolating from all people, other than those who you ordinarily live with; and

Remaining in your residence for the quarantine period.

These directions are legal requirements.

If you will be able to comply with these directions while living in a caravan or motorhome, for example you will be parked on your own land, you must complete your quarantine period in your caravan or motorhome.

However, you will not be able to quarantine in your caravan or motorhome if you will be at a location where you will be required to use shared facilities, for example a shared laundry, bathroom or kitchen. In these instances, you will not be isolating yourself from others, which you are required by law to do. You should therefore quarantine at a government managed facility for 14 days.

During quarantine, you must not travel and must remain in or at your identified residence, at a fixed address for the duration of the 14 day quarantine period.

If you are not a Tasmanian resident, you must quarantine at a government managed accommodation facility.

What do I do if I am sick while travelling?

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, let a member of the airline or ship crew know now. If you are in the airport or seaport, contact a biosecurity officer immediately.

Can I leave Tasmania during my 14-day quarantine period?

A person can leave their quarantine (whether in government provided accommodation or private residence) during the 14-day period for the purpose of leaving the State.

They must however:

transit directly from their quarantine location to the port of departure; and

What if I’m from overseas and I’m not eligible for Medicare?

Overseas travellers who fall ill in Australia (and are not eligible for Medicare) often have health or travel insurance.

For those who do not have adequate insurance coverage, Tasmanian hospitals will waive the costs of treatment. This includes waiving payment and debt recovery procedures for ambulance transfers of people suspected to have coronavirus (COVID-19), who are taken to Tasmanian hospitals for assessment.

These arrangements have been put in place to ensure payment issues are not a barrier for people from overseas with symptoms seeking early medical advice.